Oil hits highest level since US-Iran ceasefire began, as conflict hurts Gulf crude production – as it happened

The oil price has hit its highest level since the US and Iran agreed a ceasefire more than two weeks ago.Brent crude traded as high as $107.48 a barrel this morning, its highest level since 7 April, the day when the US and Iran agreed to a conditional ceasefire.That deal included a temporary reopening of the strait of Hormuz, after Donald Trump had threatened Iran with widespread destruction.But with the strait still largely blockaged, and oil production in the region having more than halved since the war began (see earlier post), anxiety over the conflict is rising again today

When her ‘soul cat’ died, she was bereft. Now she designs memorial jewelry to help others with pet loss

A layoff and a leap of faith convinced Katie Teixeira she had what it takes to run her own businessIn 2010, Katie Teixeira adopted a kitten found all alone in an abandoned house. The kitten – so tiny she fit in the palm of Teixeira’s hand – needed to be bottle-fed every few hours. For weeks, Teixeira set her alarm for middle-of-the-night feedings and drove home on her lunch break to care for the kitten she named Milo. As the cat grew, so did the connection between them.“We just bonded,” Teixeira says

Officials hugely underestimated impact of AI datacentres on UK carbon emissions

The UK government vastly underestimated the climate impact of artificial intelligence, it has emerged, after officials raised their estimate of carbon emissions from AI by a factor of more than 100.According to new data quietly published this week, energy use by AI datacentres in the UK could cause the emission of up to 123m tonnes of carbon dioxide (CO₂) – about as much as generated by 2.7 million people – over the next 10 years.That latest figure replaces a previous estimate – since deleted – that claimed emissions would reach a maximum of 0.142m tonnes of CO₂ in a single year

‘Look, no hands’: China chases the driverless dream at Beijing car show

At the world’s biggest car fair, which opened in Beijing on Friday, there were hundreds of manufacturers, more than 1,000 vehicles, hundreds of thousands of enthusiasts – and hardly anyone behind a wheel.China’s car companies have cornered the domestic electric vehicle market, and are increasingly visible on the global stage. Now they are turning their attention to what they are betting is the future of mobility: autonomous driving.At the Beijing Auto Fair, a huge industry event that covers 380,000 square metres on the outskirts of the capital, the country’s carmakers showed off a range of intelligent driving technologies.In China’s cut-throat domestic market, nearly every big carmaker is investing heavily in the software and computing power needed to make “hands-free” driving a reality as they compete to offer additional perks and find new ways to generate revenue

Heat on Sinner as Alcaraz’s absence prompts the question: who can fill the void?

Jannik Sinner is not a man for great displays of emotion, but not even the world No 1 could maintain his poker face this time. In the aftermath of an arduous opening win in Madrid on Friday, Sinner learned of the most significant news of the year – Carlos Alcaraz’s withdrawal from the French Open because of a right wrist injury – during his on-court interview.Sinner’s face immediately fell and he was clearly still processing the information after giving his answer. Later, in his press conference, the Italian lamented Alcaraz’s absence with sincerity: “Tennis needs Carlos,” he said. “Tennis is a much better sport when he’s around

England 62-24 Wales: Women’s Six Nations rugby union – as it happened

Thanks for joining us this afternoon. We’ll be back for the next round of games. We’ll leave you with Sarah’s report from Ashton Gate.There is an alternate universe where Meg Jones played the Six Nations clash between England and Wales in a red shirt instead of a white one. The Red Roses captain was born in Cardiff and can speak fluent Welsh but she chose to play for England, being qualified through her mother